Dates: October 16, 2026
Times: 10am-5:30pm Eastern (Find the time for your location)
Instructors: Mary Jo Barrett, MSW
Location: Live in Burlington, MA & on Zoom, this event will not be recorded.
Credits: 6 CEs
Vicarious Trauma, Compassion Fatigue, and Post Traumatic Growth- the Ethical Imperative of Healer Heal Thyself
Compassion Fatigue (CF) and Vicarious Traumatization (VT) are emotional residue or strain from exposure related to working with those suffering from the consequences of traumatic events. These words are used to describe the effect and impact that caring for others can have on our personal and professional life. Compassion Fatigue can occur from exposure to one client(s) or can be due to a “cumulative” level of exposure to traumatic life experiences through the lifespan of clients and the therapist. Vicarious trauma is the emotional residue and cumulative transformation of a person’s worldview resulting from empathetic engagement with trauma survivors and their stories, often called the “cost of caring”. On the road to Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Traumatization: We feel the feelings of our clients. We experience their fears. We dream their dreams. Eventually, we experience fatigue that is a result of this care. We aren’t ourselves. Symptoms include reduced cognitive function, impaired judgment and behavior, isolation, low morale, depression, PTSD, existential despair, heightened anger, and cynicism. Through didactic and experiential dialogue, Mary Jo will create an atmosphere to keep helping professionals in attendance healthy. The goal is to help you can stay in the field longer, feel successful in your chosen career path, remain ethically attuned to self and others, and are able to ethically be effective in the face of helping those who have experienced trauma.
During the course of the day, participants will participants will learn to:
- Understand the 5 energy domains
- Learn the essential clinical ingredients for effective treatment that enhances clinician resilience
- Assess their own vulnerabilities
- Create a wellness plan to address their vulnerabilities
Mary Jo Barrett, MSW
Mary Jo Barrett, MSW, is the Founder and Director of The Center for Contextual Change, located in Metro Chicago. CCC is a clinical Training Center specializing in The Collaborative Stage Model-a component phase model working with individuals, families, and groups. Mary Jo was previously a long-time adjunct faculty member of the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration, the Family Institute of Northwestern University and The Chicago Center for Family Health. She holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Illinois Jane Addams School of Social Work.
Ms. Barrett is a nationally prominent expert in the treatment of the effects of trauma and traumatic violence on individuals, families, couples, and in our communities. Her model is a collaborative, resilience-oriented approach which helps clients create healing plans that can provide lasting change. Mary Jo also works extensively with helping therapists prevent Compassion Fatigue and heal from Vicarious Traumatization. She is a leading authority on family violence, including the physical and sexual abuse of children, neglect, incest, spouse abuse, as well as neighborhood gun violence and has been working on these issues in since 1974.
Ms. Barrett has co-authored a new book Treating Complex Trauma: A Relational Blueprint for Collaboration and Change with Linda Stone Fish (2023). She has co-authored two books with Dr. Terry Trepper: Treating Incest: A Multiple Systems Perspective (2014) and The Systemic Treatment of Incest: A Therapeutic Handbook (1989). She is working two handbooks: Systemic Treatment of Trauma and Interpersonal Violence and a handbook addressing compassion fatigue. Her other publications focus on systemic and feminist treatment of women, adult survivors of sexual abuse and trauma, eating disorders, couples therapy and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Ms. Barrett provides consultations, workshops, and courses, nationally and internationally to families, lawyers, psychotherapists, social service providers, staff of residential treatment facilities and staff of governmental agencies.
Cost: breakfast snacks and lunch are included
- Individual Registration: Regular Rate—$169; Early Bird Rate: $149
- Early Registration Deadline: August 14, 2026
- Black Therapists Rock, National Association of Black Counselors and all BIPOC clinicians may access a 25% off equity rate by using the “promo code” EQUITY
- NEAFAST Members may access a 15% discount using the “promo code” NEAFAST
- Students may access a 35% discount by using the “promo code” STUDENT
- 12 CEs will be available at an additional cost of $25 paid upon registration for social workers, mental health counselors, and marriage & family therapists. See our CE page for details about approved CE credits across disciplines
Location
The event will be held live in Burlington, MA & on Zoom. We will not be recording this event for participant access.
Additional Information
- 10-12:00am learning
- 12:00-12:15 pm Break
- 12:15pm-1:15pm learning
- 1:15-2:15pm Lunch provided on site
- 2:15pm-4:15pm learning
- 4:15-4:30pm Break
- 4:30-5:30pm learning
Statement of need for this training: It is an ethical imperative for clinicians to be aware of their Vicarious Trauma and Compassion Fatigue in order to create a container in which their work can result in Post Traumatic Growth so they can provide sound, responsible and ethically attuned treatment.
Participants will:
- Describe the concepts of compassion fatigue (CF) and vicarious/secondary trauma (VT) and their causes.
- Articulate personal awareness gained in the workshop related to how CF and VT can impact their careers and personal, affect their ethical clinical decision making, and influence their behaviors.
- Define a minimum of two ways to ensure they make wise ethical decisions in sessions.
- Assess and name a minimum of two of their own obstacles to personal and professional health.
Participants MUST attend 100% of the program to earn the 12 CEs approved for eligible professions.
CE certificates will be downloadable within three days of each event after participants complete the workshop or course and fill out the online evaluation.
- Therapy Training Boston is approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6707 for Mental Health Counselors. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Therapy Training Boston is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CEs FOR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS - This program has been submitted to NEAFAST for 12 LMFT CEs LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CEs FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS
- This program has been submitted to NASW for 6 CEs for Social Work Continuing Education for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR, NASW-MA Chapter CE Approval Program LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CEs FOR SOCIAL WORKERS
- Check with your state board to determine whether our approved CEs meet the criteria for your license
Read detailed information about CEs here.
No refunds are available for cancellations by participants regardless of the reason or time frame. If participants cancel 30 days or more prior to the event beginning, they may apply the fee to a future program. Workshops may be cancelled by Therapy Training Boston if minimum enrollment requirements are not met or in the case of other unexpected circumstances. If this occurs, a full refund will be provided.